Something to wine about

by Linda Delmonico Prussen

Today’s tip:

Black Friday is nearly upon us and wine makes a great gift! To help choose what to buy it helps if you know if the person you’re buying for likes white or red, oaked or unoaked, and sweet or dry wine. Not sure if a wine is heavily oaked? Tasting notes for an oaked wine might include words like, toasted, nutty, buttery, vanilla or almond.

To get an idea of the sweetness of a wine read the label for the alcohol content. A lower alcohol content usually means more residual sugar and sweeter. There are exceptions like dessert and port wines, which while sweet, often have higher alcohol contents.

Once you know the basic attributes you’d like in a wine, along with your price point, don’t be afraid to ask for help. Let the salesperson know, “I’m looking for an oaky red wine in the $20-$30 range.” Or, “I’m looking for a sweet white wine around $15.” A knowledgeable wine store employee should be able to point you in the right direction.

Want to buy gifts and support Long Island Vineyards? If you want something prestigious, Bedell Cellars produced a Merlot that was featured at the luncheon following the Presidential Inauguration. Looking for something unique? Try Paumanok’s Chenin Blanc. The varietal is a rare find in New York State and, so far, has received rave reviews.

Where to go/what to do:

Going into the city to do some shopping? You might want to work one of these free tastings in your outing:

Whether as a source of cheap and cheerful everyday values such as Rhône style blends, or winemakers looking to push boundaries – there’s something for everyone in the Languedoc. Stop in and sample wines from one of France’s most exciting regions.